Forum

Ive started xc this year as a new hobby as i want to get fitter. i have had an interest for a while as my old boss used to race.
As said in previous posts i am a complete novice. But i am thinking of entering myself in to the mud sweat gears series. To motivate me to get out on the bike . Has anyone done this before / doing it this year? Do you have any advice for a training plan leading up to it ?

I've done it for many years, if your going to learn xc, then this is the way to do it.
Training is everything, try and make a 4 mile loop of your normal ride and do it for half hour longer than you intend to race for. (without stopping for breathers)
prep the bike, make sure its bomb proof, nothing worse than paying for a race to not finish it because of something silly.
Hydration, get a bottle on your bike (not a camal pack as these make you too hot while racing) make sure you can reach easily the bottle, as in race conditions getting a space to drink is hard. make sure you are fully hydrated before the race.
apart from that its all about mind set and fitness.
Maybe get a cheap heart rate monitor, i found that was my biggest leap in going forward, knowing how hard you can push and for how long. I was putting too much into the climbs at the start and didnt really recover, where as if your slightly slower and more paced, you can hold that pace for longer.
Lastly, Diet. and this is what ended it for me really, if you want to do well, you have to monitor everything going in.
Drinking a few bottles of red the night before doesnt help

Hi,
Thats torn it . going for a EAT AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE Sat night before the Sunday race.
The curries should get my engine turning over .
Bob

LOL that also works Bob, plenty of Carb loading, but dont overdo the Chilli

Top tips Ian I have done all of this in the past but have now adopted bobs method
But it's not quite as effective
Joking aside I used to do a lap one way then the other you will be surprised the difference in time and effort needed riding a route backwards

Riding a route backwards is a good idea, a lot more climbing involved i'm guessing?

Hi,
Do you ride a fixie to go backwards.
Bob

LOL

I mean once you know a route you start to cheat change gear for the next climb on the decent . Heather hills, ant hill and lingwood are a different beast in reverse ant hill is a very technical rooty climb in reverse

Are races generally around four miles long? dont even have a bottle holder on there at the moment so will sort that out lol. is there some sort of guide what readings i would be looking to get on a heart rate monitor?
haha i feel the diet is the part where i will also struggle!! love my food too much!
doing the route in reverse is a good idea im going to be doing it this weekend actually. riding from royston to thertfield cross country hilly on the way there downhill on way back.